


Ethereality

by Blitz_Unite



Series: Outsiders OS (writing exercises) [3]
Category: The Outsiders (1983), The Outsiders - All Media Types, The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Dallas Winston Lives, Dallas Winston Needs A Hug, Extended Metaphors, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Johnny Cade Lives, M/M, Self-Indulgent, Smoking, Stargazing, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, much cringe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:55:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29859105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blitz_Unite/pseuds/Blitz_Unite
Summary: Two-Bit laughed, slapping Dally on the back. Their noise drew Sodapop’s attention, who floated (yes, floated) over to them. Johnny and Ponyboy continued talking, pressed close together. Already an amiable expression adorned his youthful face. “Y’all wanna join us for stargazing?”Dally snorted. “Stargazing?”
Relationships: Ponyboy Curtis/Johnny Cade (background), Sodapop Curtis/Dallas Winston
Series: Outsiders OS (writing exercises) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2183808
Comments: 5
Kudos: 7





	Ethereality

Sodapop was pretty.

Sure, he was cute, as girls never failed to mention. And he was hot, especially when working with those cars and oil grease covering his throat and arms. He was handsome most definitely, and it was the most obvious when he combed his hair without grease for once. But when the sun rays were shining over his face as it contorted into the brightest laugh Dally had ever heard, eyes sparking and almost closed, such pure joy and happiness on his face, blush lining his cheeks and showing the freckles you only noticed when you looked closely. There was only one way to say it. 

Sodapop was just plain pretty.

They weren’t that close before the incident. But the collected love and worry for two of the youngest members had brought the entire gang together, and now that Dally was spending so much more time with Sodapop. He realized why he hadn’t done it in the first place. 

Sodapop was too good. That was it. Sodapop’s’ laughter too bright, his motions too fairylike, even when in a rumble, his movements too elusive, on the defence rather than the offence. The way he plucked the drinks out of people’s hands too smoothly that they would barely even ask for it back. Or the way he’d drag Two-Bit out of bars and rambunctious parties too gently that the former couldn’t break away because this is what it felt like to have someone who cared. Sodapop was too much for Dally. 

And maybe Dally was scared. Darry was the type Dally was familiar with, strong, dependable, responsible, had to grow up too soon. Ponyboy was also familiar, trying to prove himself, trying to find himself. But Sodapop.

Dally had no idea what to make of the man. The most optimistic, the most empathetic, the one who shined like the sun on Dally who felt like a vampire. But Sodapop never shied from a fight either, he’d squabble and rough around with you, and to protect someone, Soda would use his fists. He may be lanky, but fighting wasn’t always about strength. He would maneuver himself in such a mesmerizing way that it was almost like he was dancing. Then he’d lean in to you, grab your hand, fall asleep on your shoulder and look at you like you had so much potential. 

No, Dally had never met anyone like Sodapop. 

“Wow, I’ve never seen that expression on ya before. Is it possible? Maybe? That you can actually  _ think _ ?” Two-Bit grinned. Dally scowled, but there was no heat behind it. He shook his head, tearing his eyes away from Sodapop who was making Johnny and Ponyboy laugh over something. Steve rolling his eyes and leaning next to him. 

“Of course you’re surprised,” Dally responded drily. “To think, you need a brain, and you obviously don’t know nothing about that,”

Two-Bit laughed, slapping Dally on the back. Their noise drew Sodapop’s attention, who floated (yes, floated) over to them. Johnny and Ponyboy continued talking, pressed close together. Already an amiable expression adorned his youthful face. “Y’all wanna join us for stargazing?”

Dally snorted. “Stargazing?” 

“Can’t guarantee the stars are what I’ll be gazing at, especially if the ladies are around, but we’re in Soda!” Two-Bit smiled. So Sodapop grinned too. 

They walked, as a group. Darry and Steve were the only ones missing. The night was still mostly young, people running after each other, yelling. Two-Bit kept grinning across at these two greaser girls, who rolled their eyes but didn’t stop their smirks and low pitched giggles. Usually, Dally would be swinging over there and throwing an arm around them, but it felt wrong to do so now. Sodapop playfully punched Two-Bit’s shoulder, reminding him not to stray away. Dally didn’t actually care about those girls, he usually never did, but he wanted to. It was a strange cycle. What is love? So he went to find out. He didn’t feel anything though, so he gave up. And then it was back to the question, and he did it again. And again. And again. 

But people saw him as a player, and he was fine with that. It meant more girls may flock to him, more chances to feel anything. Sure, Johnny and Two-Bit had their suspicions, but they kept it to themselves mostly. Sodapop on the other hand… Sodapop has a knack for seeing people, really  _ seeing _ them. Dally didn’t want that understanding, empathetic gaze when the other would see him flirting with girls. So he didn’t. Not when Soda was around. 

The night was getting older, crowds thinning out. They entered a park, dew pressing on blades of grass, barely visible if not for the moon painting light across the area. The wind almost seemed to sway them into the direction of the glade through the park, a small circular expanse. Surrounded by trees. 

Johnny and Ponyboy nestled near one of the particularly large tree trunks, both the type to stray from the spotlight, comfortable under the shadows of the canopy. Two-Bit was trailing behind, his attention on someone else far away, he hadn’t reached yet. “I love life,” breathed Sodapop, eyes fixated on the sky. A few wispy clouds still covered the endless sea above. Dally’s mouth opened of it’s own accord, but he restrained himself from making any noise. Sodapop almost fell to the ground, a dreamy smile gracing his pink lips. Something grew like a crescendo in Dally’s chest. Birds squealed from the trees, rushing for shelter for the night. Leaves fell from the trees that housed them, mixing with faint white light to swirl around a kneeling boy made of pure euphoria. 

Sodapop was ethereal. 

An elbow nudged Dally in his stomach. He whipped around, anger flaring to tear his eyes away from the scene. Whatever it was filling his chest deflated, popping at the disturbance. His fist was already clenched. 

But it was just Johnny. And Dally could hardly snap at Johnny, much less threaten him. He slackened, fighting back a scowl. There would be no reason to scowl in the first place. It wasn’t as if he were actually doing anything that could be interrupted. It wasn’t as if it felt like something he hadn’t even known existed had been leached from his heart. Johnny’s eyes were sparkling, a small smirk was playing on his lips. The little rascal. Still, a shot of fondness pierced Dally’s melancholic mood. “We’re going to go find Two-Bit,” said Johnny, and despite the bratty look on his face, his voice was more timid. Behind him, Ponyboy was frowning, arms crossed, slight pout, all directed at Dally. Johnny looked behind Dally, where Sodapop had also twisted to look at them, head tilted in a question. “We’ll take a while,” he whispered to Dally. 

“Wha-” 

The two were off, Ponyboy not failing to glare at Dally once more. 

“Where are they going?”

_ Oh no.  _ Dally heard the disappointment in Soda’s voice before he even saw his face. That light wondrous expression was replaced with a bitter smile aimed beyond Dally. “You can go too, if you want. I’m perfectly capable of enjoying the night by myself,” and he said it humorously, but the truth lay underneath. 

Dally swallowed. “They’re going to come back,” Sodapop raised an eyebrow. “I think they left for some other reason,”

“Yeah I’ve grown old and don’t know what interests kids anymore,” Sodapop chuckled. 

“Johnny’s the same age as you,”

He blinked. “I guess he is,”

The pack of cigarettes was weighing down Dally’s pocket, and his fingers itched to grab one. Instead, he plopped down next to Sodapop, trying not to let his discomfort of the grass show. 

“I’m happy for you,”

Dally raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know if I want that,”

“You're smoking less,” Sodapop’s smile evolved into a genuine one, but his eyes didn’t meet the other’s. 

“Not really,” Dally should snort and say something like ‘sure’. But lying to Sodapop never felt right. “Buck don’t like it either, but he knows he can’t do much about it now. I just don’t smoke when you’re around. ”

“Why?” there was nothing accusatory, sad or offence in his tone, simple curiosity. To understand before pointing fingers or thinking of himself. Sodapop was too good to be sitting next to Dally and his scuffed, torn leather jacket, the blisters on his feet and the scorches on his hands.

“You don’t like it,”

“Lots of your friends don’t,”

“I don’t…” Dally trailed off, the words he was about to say sounded too silky on his tongue. No bite, no roughness. “I don’t want you to know me,”

“But I do know you,”

Dally shook his head, his hair falling into his eyes. A thud sounded. Sodapop had fallen to the ground, grass framing his head like a halo, the night sky making constellations in his eyes. “Yes,” he said softly. “I know you got a temper. I know you care about people but they gotta earn it first. I know this-” he suddenly held up his hand, then let it flop sideways so that his arm swung against Dally’s torso, urging the other down to the same position. “Will probably annoy you because you don’t like people telling you what to do. I know you’re scared, because only fools aren’t and you... You are no fool,”

“You’re wrong about that,” Dally snapped, guilt growling up inside him right after. But Sodapop didn’t snarl back, he patiently waited. “If I wasn’t a fool, I would be doing something that makes me happy,”

“Smoking don’t make you happy?”

“Nah,”

“Maybe we need to find you a good, reliable girl. Though I doubt any would want you,” Sodapop laughed, bright and tinkly, when Dally gave him the gentlest playful shove he could. 

“I don’t want a girl anyway,” Dally smiled back, but it quickly slipped off his face when even he sensed the truth in his words. Something hung in the air, but he couldn’t quite grasp what it was. 

“Do you think there are any grasshoppers ‘ere? I may be a bit scared of them,”

Dally couldn’t refrain from a short laughing spiel. Sodapop was still looking at the sky, but his arm was pressed against Dally’s, and the latter could feel the other moving around, his hands scouring the grass to make sure. 

Sodapop turned his head.“When you smile, even the sharpness of your face melts,” he giggled, cheeks rosy enough to see the pink even in the dim lighting. It was so genuine, Dally couldn’t even say that it was a lie. He had never heard something spoken from the heart before. “Even when you’re surprised, you start looking like a cute guy instead of someone who would twist your insides with a knife,”

“Is that what I look like normally?” Dally smirked, but he couldn’t face Sodapop, he feared he would blush just like the other, except not as prettily.

“Maybe. It’s endearing,”

_ Endearing.  _

No one had ever described Dally that way. 

A rush of bravery not dissimilar to the serum of alcohol flowed into Dally, and he turned and grasped Sodapop’s arms. Practically on top of the slightly younger boy. Sodapop turned even more red, spreading over his chest, his ears, his chin. “You’re blocking the stars,” he whispered. So Dally shifted that he was just hiding Sodapop’s eyeline, yet the stars still shined their white light from lightyears away, framing Sodapop’s sides and hair like a halo. Like an angel. 

“You are ethereal,” Dally murmured without even realizing it. 

Then he followed Sodapop’s flushing to his cherry pink lips, and he dove. The grass was soft, but Sodapop’s fingers felt softer as they hesitantly twisted through Dally’s hair, arms wrapping around the other’s neck. 

A somber thought pierced through the veil of teenage foolery, and the older found himself pulling away, eyes wide, mouth still open. Sodapop tilted his head, eyes already glistening with unsung tears and hands slipping to thunk on the ground. The moon was reflected in his eyes, as sad and hopeful and bright as him. “I…” Dally licked his dry lips, mesmerized by the boy beneath him. “I don’t want this to be like…” Again, his words failed him, and Sodapop’s irises grew waves in them through the water pooling his eyes.  _ No, no, no, no, n- _ “I’m in… Like with you. And I don’t want this to be a… A singular event? One time thing?” He took a pause to curse. “I want to be like this… All the time.”

Sodapop met his eyes, but sadness lingered in the faint freckles dotting his cheeks. Dally knew he should probably move, sit up straight and explain. But he didn’t want to let go off the warmth festering between them. So he persevered, ignoring the strain in his arms which held the rest of his body up. “I don’t feel like this, I haven’t ever felt like this. But I think I’ve been chasing it… For a while. Sleeping around, to know… I don’t know what. Though I never realized, maybe strangers weren't what I needed. Maybe I need someone I know is too good for me. Someone who has a heart made of feathers, weighed down by gravity,”

“I’m not too good for you,” Sodapop finally said. “Yer' like the sun, all raw and harsh but also full of fun and joy.”

A careful, gangly finger swept away a stray tear, Dally gazed. “That makes you the moon, no? Sweet, alluring, safety… Secret.”

So the stars stood through their ever watching status of audience, as moon and sun danced with their souls entwined together. They gave the blessing, twinkling with mirth as the two wrapped their hearts and arms around each other. They recorded the memory tattooed onto the glade and embroidered into the libraries of love. A tale no one else would know but everyone would crave. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is like a two year old fic but I remember being really happy with it back when I wrote it. I reread it though and I can't help but cringe, but I don't know, it still feels really pure to me even though the writing could use some work. Who knows, maybe one day I'll rewrite it.


End file.
